The Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev John Ntim Fordjour, has urged the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to resign from his position as Minister for Foreign Affairs, in line with a vow he made to resign immediately should his government engage a private jet for use by the President or Vice President.

Ablakwa, who while in opposition led a campaign to expose President Akufo-Addo’s global travels aboard private jets, vowed in 2022 that he would resign from government if an NDC President or Vice President ever used a private jet.

“I will resign from government if we come to power and our leader patronizes a private jet. I will resign. Why should I stay there? What I do is based on principle. It is not personal. It’s not that I hate President Akufo-Addo or love him — that’s not the point. It’s about the principle, about protecting the public purse. …I will resign; I once resigned from the Appointments Committee,” Ablakwa said during a radio interview.

Rev. Ntim Fordjour, who is the Ranking Member on the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament, stated in a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that politics must not degenerate into populist stunts. He said that while in opposition, Ablakwa ridiculed the Presidency, publicized presidential travels involving private jets, and demonized the practice, which earned him applause from his party supporters.

He added that the Foreign Affairs Minister, caught up in the excitement of opposition politics, may have forgotten that exigencies could require the President or Vice President to use private jets from time to time in the course of their legitimate official duties.

Rev Ntim Fordjour urged the Minister to do the honourable thing and resign to demonstrate that he is a principled politician.

"You have hung yourself with your own words! You were categorical in your vow. You dared Ghanaians by stating that you would immediately resign as Minister if your Presidency ever used a private jet. And here we are. Our Vice President was graciously returned to Ghana to continue her duties aboard a private jet paid for by Ghanaian taxpayers.

"Ghanaians expect you to resign immediately from office as Foreign Affairs Minister to demonstrate that you are a man of integrity — a man who can be trusted to stand by his own words. Be a man of principle and resign! Just for the record, the use of private jets by the President or Vice President, when required, is not a crime — nor is it inappropriate when the presidential jet is unavailable."